Samuel lawson



S. LAWSON.

(No Model.)

GAS ENGINE.

Patented Mar igm- N. FETERS. Pmmum m Wash ngtun. ac

N TTED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

SAMUEL LAWSON, OF NEWV YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR TO HIMSELF AND ALONZO T. WVELOH, OF SAME PLACE.

GAS-ENGINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 399,908, dated March 19, 1889.v Application filed August 4:, 1888- Serial No. 281,997 (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, SAMUEL LAWSON, of the city and State of New York, have invented an Improvement in Gas-Engines, of which the following is a specification.

My present application (Case A) is one of a series of like date herewith, in which E, O, and D comprise the other cases in the series, the serial numbers of said cases being 281,998, 281,999, and 282,000.

The object of this invention is to insure the proper admission of air and gas into the cylinder of the gas-engine, and also the action of the flame in igniting such air and gas, and also to provide for opening the dischargevalve in such a manner as to allow the free escape of the spent gases during the move ment of the piston in one direction and keep such valve reliably closed during the movement of such piston in the other direction. In my gas-engine the piston does not move to the bottom of the cylinder, and in the upward movement the air and gas are drawn in at the bottom of the cylinder, the spent gases being above the same and next to the piston, and as the piston descends the spent gases are ejected, the discharge-valve being opened, and as soon as the crank turns the center and the piston commences to rise the flame is admitted and the gas exploded, driving the piston forcibly upward, and during the next descent of the piston a portion of the spent gases is allowed to escape, and when this piston again rises to draw in fresh air and gas the same enter below the spent gases and the operations proceed as before mentioned, so that there is an explosion and an acceleration of speed every two strokes of the engine; but the escape-valve has to be opened during each downward stroke of the piston.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is an elevation with the main shaft of the engine in section. Fig. 2 is a partial elevation at right angles to Fig. 1, with the cylinder, pistonval've, and valve-case in section; and Fig. 3 is a sectional plan at the line as The cylinder A is provided with a waterjacket, B, and it contains the piston O, and

there is a connecting-rod, I), to the crank E upon the main shaft F, and this shaft is supported by suitable standards, G. The discharge-opening 3 from the cylinder A leads into the Valve-case H, within which is the valve 4, opening downwardly, and 5 is a pipe through which the spent gases can be led to a suitable chimney.

The stem 6 of the valve 4 has around it the spring 7, which tends to close the said valve, and upon the shaft F is a cam, K, which is formed with two nearly semicircular faces, one of which is farther from the axis of the shaft than the other, and this cam act-s upon the roller 8 and the valve-stem (i, so that during half of the rotation of the shaft F the valve 4 will be closed, and during nearly the next half of the rotation the valve 4 'will be open, and this cam K is set in the proper position to the crank E, so that the valve 4 will be opened upon the downstroke of the piston C.

At one side of the cylinder A is the valvecase L, and at one side thereof is a pipe and cook, 12, by which gas is admitted into said case L, and at the other side thereof is a pipe, 13, through which air is admitted. Within this case L isa tubular valve, 15, a single compartment closed at both ends and having a stem, 16, around which is a spring, 17, that tends to lift this valve 15 and press the roller 18, at the upper end of the valve-stem, against the cam M upon the shaft 21. This shaft 21 is revolved once for each two revolutions of the shaft F by means of the gear-wheels 23 and 2 1, and the shaft of this cam M is shown in section in Fig. 1, the gears 23 24 being removed. There is a burner, 30, for the igniting-flame and a hole, 32, in the case L for such flame to pass through when the hole in the valve 15 coincides with the hole 32, and there are ports 34: 35 in the valve 15 for the admission of air and gas in opposite directions, and the shape of the cam M is such that when the segmental portion 40 thereof is in contact with the roller 18 the ports 34 35 will be open and the gas and air will be admitted. This operation is performed during about one-quarter of the rotation of the cam hi and while the piston C is rising; hence the fresh air and gas will be properly admitted. The portion 41 of the cam M new acts upon the roller 18 and moves thevalve into the position shown in Fig. 2, cutting off the supply of air and gas, and the said Valve remains closed during the down- Ward movement of the piston C, and as the crank E turns its lowest dead-point the projection 42 upon the cam M acts against the roller 18 and brings the valve down farther, so that the holes 33 and 32 coincide, and the flame is drawn into the cylinder, igniting the air and gases, and the projection 42, instantly passing, over the roller- 18, allows the spring 17 to raise the valve 15 and close the igniting-hole 32, and the portion 43 of the cam holds the valve 15 in about the position shown in Fig. 2 during the time that the explosion takes place and the piston C is forced up, and until such piston O has again been moved downwardly by the momentum of the fly wheel, ejecting a portion of the spent gases by the valve 4, after which the spring 17 lifts the valve 15 and the roller18 comes into contact with the portion 40 of the cam M, again admitting gas and air, and the before-described operations are repeated.

This improvement is especially available for all gas-engines, and where two such e11- gines are connected with one shaft, F, the parts are so placed that the explosion in one engine takes place during the time that the spent gases are being forced out of the cylinder of the other engine.

I claim as invention- 1. In a gas-engine, the cylinder, piston,.

crank, and crank-shaft, and the escapesvalve, cam, and rod for operating the same each revolution of the crank-shaft, in combination with the valve-case, air and gas supply pipes, and the ignitor, and a tubular valve having a single compartment closed at both ends and having ports for the admission of air and gas, and holes for the passage of the flame, and mechanism, substantially as specified, for reciprocating the valve once to each two strokes of the cylinder, substantially as set forth.

2. The valve 15, air and gas pipes, valvecase, and ports, in combination'with the cylinder A, piston, connecting-rod, and crank, the cam M, having the respective surfaces 40 41 4:3 and the projection 42, for causing the igniting-openings to coincide, and the spring 17, for moving the valve in opposite directions to the cam, substantially as setforth.

3. In a gas-engine, the combination, with the valve-case, air and gas supply pipes, and the ignitor, of a tubular valve having a single compartment closed at both ends, and having ports for the admissionof air and gas and holes for the passage of the flame, substantially as set forth.

Signed by me this th day of July, 1888.

SAMUEL LANVSON.

Witnesses GEO. T. PINOKNEY, HAROLD SERRELL. 

